Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Alesund Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethlehem, PA and Alesund

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,748 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $2,242 in Alesund, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,864 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $3,326 in Alesund, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,980 per month in Bethlehem, PA vs $4,409 in Alesund, rent included.

Bethlehem, PA costs about 23% more than Alesund, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bethlehem, PA and Alesund sit above the global median – Bethlehem, PA by 105%, Alesund by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 $18.31

$19.85 NOK 184

-7.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 $50.3

$85.4 NOK 794

-41.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 $13.21

$12.95 NOK 120

2.01%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$3.95 NOK 36.66

28.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.02 NOK 18.79

44.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.19 NOK 20.32

-12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 $5.27

$10.94 NOK 102

-51.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$9.25 NOK 85.9

-14.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.39 NOK 22.22

-56.07%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.95 NOK 27.39

38.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.89 NOK 26.82

52.94%

Eggs

$4.16 $4.16

$3.99 NOK 37.02

4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$14.13 NOK 131

-13.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.13 $17.13

$13.66 NOK 127

25.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.89 $21.89

$22.52 NOK 209

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$11.69 $11.69

$2.74 NOK 25.45

326.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.33 NOK 21.63

-41.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.16 NOK 20.09

102.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.30 $7.30

$3.68 NOK 34.19

98.37%

Potato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$2.69 NOK 24.96

100.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.73 NOK 16.05

65.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.80 NOK 26.05

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.14 NOK 19.89

-14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$13.59 NOK 126

-26.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 $16.14

$18.84 NOK 175

-14.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.28 NOK 30.49

32.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 $5.31

$4.24 NOK 39.40

25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$4.53 NOK 42.09

-54.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$65.5 NOK 609

-6.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$12.10 NOK 112

-71.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.07 NOK 19.26

-20.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 $28.94

$73.6 NOK 684

-60.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.19 NOK 20.35

-59.36%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.0K $29.0K

$36.0K NOK 334.2K

-19.28%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K $25.7K

$43.3K NOK 402.3K

-40.61%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$223 $223

$242 NOK 2,251

-7.76%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$39.19 NOK 364

61.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$40.94 NOK 380

51.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.41 $36.41

$58.0 NOK 539

-37.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.85 NOK 277

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$17.00 NOK 158

-12.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,005 $1,005

$266 NOK 2,468

278.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$2,461 NOK 22.9K

849.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 $55.8

$84.1 NOK 781

-33.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.52 $30.52

$43.85 NOK 407

-30.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 $66.4

$110 NOK 1,022

-39.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 $78.9

$136 NOK 1,264

-42.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 $1,481

$968 NOK 8,988

53.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 $1,313

$782 NOK 7,262

67.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 $2,126

$1,384 NOK 12.9K

53.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 $1,978

$1,166 NOK 10.8K

69.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 $2,112

$4,672 NOK 43.4K

-54.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,165 $2,165

$2,516 NOK 23.4K

-13.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,574 $3,574

$4,349 NOK 40.4K

-17.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

4.03

64.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bethlehem, PA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Alesund: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,481 in Bethlehem, PA versus $968 in Alesund. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 22% higher in Alesund, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Bethlehem, PA versus $85.0 in Alesund. Groceries tell a different story – $514 in Bethlehem, PA vs $425 in Alesund – so Alesund wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bethlehem, PA vs Alesund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,748 in Bethlehem, PA, $2,242 in Alesund – roughly 23% apart. Bethlehem, PA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,122 per month in Bethlehem, PA and $3,363 in Alesund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alesund, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Bethlehem, PA and $85.0 in Alesund. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,748 in Bethlehem, PA and $2,242 in Alesund. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alesund, where all-in costs run around $2,242, than in Bethlehem, PA at $2,748. In Alesund it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethlehem, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Alesund has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,242 in Alesund to $2,748 in Bethlehem, PA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alesund. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethlehem, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.